by Ava McKnight
Maybe she’d tell Meg all about her depressing love life and the reason she didn’t bother dating.
Wasn’t that what friends did? Meg worried about how many hours she logged each week, but Cassidy had never really shared her personal woes. Or the reasons why she was perfectly content with late nights at the office, versus trolling the bars or searching the Internet for her soul mate.
Perfectly content.
The words skipped through her head. Mocking her.
Really? She was perfectly content with her solitude?
“No,” she whispered. But she was probably too far gone in the romance department for it to even matter.
The doorbell rang and Cassidy set the two wineglasses on the wooden dining table that accommodated eight in the great room. She crossed to the foyer and pulled open one of the double doors. Only to let out a sharp gasp at the vision before her.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, stunned.
Chase stood on the welcome mat. The Town Car drove off. Snow fell on the trees in the front yard. Cassidy’s heart picked up a few too many extra beats.
He gave her a perplexed look. “I asked if you wanted company. You said sure. Having a memory lapse?”
“N-no,” she stammered. He was too good-looking by far and here he was, standing on the threshold of her vacay rental, making every inch of her burn despite the chilly air that filtered in. She let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I didn’t pay close attention to the text. Meg sent me a flurry of messages and I thought yours was from her. I didn’t look at the contact name.”
“Oh.” He frowned. “Well… This is awkward.” He glanced over his shoulder. Yeah, the Town Car was long gone.
She said, “It’s not awkward. Come in. I just poured wine.” Cassidy stepped aside to let him in.
Chase removed his overcoat, shook off the snow and hung it on a rung along the sidewall. He took in the interior of the house and said, “Nice pad.”
“Two bedrooms upstairs, two down. Fantastic kitchen. I wouldn’t mind getting snowed-in here. The great room is spectacular.” The split floor plan meant the enormous windows overlooking the deck and the golf course were two-stories tall. “If I owned this place, I wouldn’t live here just part-time and rent it out. I bet the views are equally gorgeous in the summer.”
“No doubt. This area is scenic year-round.”
He followed her farther into the house. She said, “That’s right, you’re from Flagstaff.”
“Born and raised. Went to Northern Arizona University before I moved to Scottsdale.”
She handed him a glass of chardonnay. “It’s really very pretty here. What made you decide to move to the valley?”
“Limited professional opportunities, unless I wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, realtor or professor.”
“Of course. Small town.”
“Expensive town. A lot of my friends took off after high school or college. The ones who stayed mostly ended up working for a family business or Gore, one of the major employers up here.”
She recalled his parents had owned a health food store but had moved it to Boca Raton. “You didn’t want to relocate to Florida with your family?”
“No. I’m a ski bum, not a beach bum.” His beautiful blue eyes sparkled in the firelight. “You ski?”
Cassidy laughed. “Are you kidding? Talk about an unnecessary risk. My father frowned upon any activity that might cause bodily harm. Insurance man, don’t you know.”Just like McClellan.
“Yes, I know. I’ve met your brother too, at industry conventions. Still… Eliminates a lot of fun in life.”
She sipped her wine, then said, “I didn’t mind. I liked the library.”
“Pretty and smart,” he mused. “Guess it doesn’t matter that you don’t ski. You could be a lodge bunny and make all the men drool.”
This time, Cassidy’s soft laugh held no humor. “You totally see something no one else does. Why is that?”
He eyed her over the rim of his glass. “You’re joking, right?”
“No, Chase. I’m not.” She moved around a large leather sofa and stood in front of the fireplace.
For once, he didn’t pursue her or crowd her. Instead, he remained by the wall of windows and asked, “That thing you said to me earlier, before you walked out on me. What was that all about?”
Cassidy pulled in a long breath, let it out slowly. Sipped her wine. Stalled.
Her gaze stayed on the flames flickering in the hearth as she admitted, “It’s something I should have told you a long time ago. Two years, to be exact.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry I’ve wasted so much of your time, Chase, when I could have put an end to your flirting the first day we met.”
He was quiet a moment, then said, “If you tell me you’ve been involved with someone this whole time, then yeah, I’m gonna be a bit pissed off.”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Of course I’m not involved with anyone. I would never let you keep up the suggestive repartee if I were dating another man.”
He nodded slowly. “I didn’t think so. But I have no idea why you fight the obvious chemistry between us. And I sure as hell don’t get why you’d think you’d disappoint me.”
Cassidy’s gaze returned to the fire. “I told you, I’m not your type. I don’t ski, or jet off for the weekend to some place exotic, or do any of the things you do. I work.”
“That’s not entirely true. You go to basketball, baseball and football games with some of the VPs and your clients. You like hockey too.”
“Yes, but I’m there for a work-related purpose. Not for general socializing. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve turned down Meg for happy hour? She’s stopped inviting me.”
“Cass,” he said as he moved toward the fireplace. He gently gripped her elbow and turned her to face him. “I understand you have to work harder than just about anyone else to prove yourself. It’s not fair, but it’s a fact. You’re the youngest executive and you’re a woman. Two huge strikes against you in this field. But there’s a reason you have a seat at the executive conference table. You are damn good at what you do.”
“I have to work twice as hard, Chase. And not slip up. I know I have staunch supporters at MII, but seriously, if I fucked up even once, they’d be more than happy to replace me with a man.”
He regarded her a moment, then said, “You know what I find intriguing about you?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t a clue. Really.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a devilish grin. “Aside from being damn pretty, I like that you’re a straight-shooter. You’re not really a feminist. Hell, I’ve heard you tell a few extremely un-PC jokes. Also, you seem to get a kick out of holding your own against the old boys’ network—you’re not bitter about the double standard. You butt up against it in your own way. In fact, you sort of take a more unisex approach to the industry bias.”
“That’s because it’s not about men or women, Chase. It’s about clients and customer service and following through on commitments made. We collect a fee to protect insureds and they deserve to have us in their corner when they need us, whether it’s a loss that barely exceeds their deductible or an entire part of their business that’s been devastated by a natural disaster or an industrial catastrophe.”
“Integrity,” he said with emphasis. “That’s one of the things I admire most about you.”
Warmth ribboned through Cassidy. “And when you say things like that, Chase, it’s the reason I continue to let you flirt with me.”
“You like flirting back.”
He had her on that one. “I do on occasion. Be glad I catch myself. Seriously, Chase. Keeping this up is pointless.”
Cassidy retrieved her glass from the mantel and took a deep sip.
In a quiet voice, he said, “I know you like me.”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “And I like that you flirt with me and no one else in the office. I like the way you look at me.”
He nod
ded.
“It’s just that… I can’t for the life of me figure out why you pursue me, other than you like the thrill of the chase.” She laughed, surprising herself. “Chase. What a pun.”
“Ha-ha. Funny.” When she glanced up at him, he added, “Not.”
“Anyway,” she said, “I like how well we work together, and I want it to stay that way. I don’t want there to be awkwardness between us, and I know that would happen if we ever got together.” She turned back to the fireplace and muttered, “Not that that would last for more than ten seconds, but whatever.”
With a hand on her arm, Chase gingerly forced her to face him again. “First of all, there wouldn’t be awkwardness. We’re adults, not teenagers. Mature enough to deal with each other on a professional and a personal level. Second…what the hell do you mean we wouldn’t last more than ten seconds?”
Cassidy shifted away, needing some physical distance for mental clarity. Chase’s intense gaze and heavenly scent left her head spinning. And her insides burning.
She said, “Trust me, one kiss and you’d regret having wasted so much time on me. In fact, I owe you a huge apology for dragging this out. Like I told you at the country club, I should have said this two years ago. Better yet, I should have let you kiss me two years ago. You would have instantly moved on, I assure you.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t get it.”
With a pained breath, she said, “I’m great with men in a business relationship, Chase. Other than that… I bore them to tears.”
The admission prickled the backs of her eyes.
Chase stared at her, disbelief and incredulity stamped across his chiseled visage. “That’s the excuse you’re going to use with me? Some bullshit about being a sexual bore?”
She cringed. “Trust me. It’s not bullshit. I have years of proof.”
He set his glass on the mantel, folded his arms over his chest and glared at her, challenging her.
Cassidy said, “I’ve only had two boyfriends. Both in college. Mike was on an academic scholarship and had discovered a breakthrough in robotics that had every electronics company in the country wooing him. We had study dates twice a week for two semesters. One night, we decided to take things a step further. Less than fifteen minutes later, we were both staring up at the ceiling wondering why the hell we’d crawled into bed together when we could have been studying.”
The disappointment and dismay flowed through her as acutely as it had that night with Mike.
She said, “There was no heaving breathing. No moaning. No groaning. No gasping in ecstasy. Just quiet, polite, boring sex. It was sheer agony to realize the earth hadn’t moved like it did in romance novels when the hero and heroine make love.”
Chase’s brow furrowed deeper.
Cassidy continued. “The next year, I went on a few dates with Jeff. Total brainiac. Honors classes and an accelerated curriculum that allowed him to graduate with two degrees in just three years.”
“What happened with him?”
Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment. This was mortifying to admit. “He invited me to his dorm room one night while his roommate was at a party. Again, no fireworks. It was a complete snooze-fest. A half-hour later, he blatantly lied and said he’d forgotten that he’d told his roommate he’d meet up with him. He couldn’t push me out the door fast enough.”
She fought a wave of emotion that rose up.
Cassidy drained her wine and added, “Then I became the queen of first dates. No problem with men asking me out, I can hook them. I just can’t reel ‘em in.” She sighed. “When the goodnight kiss comes… I freeze up and it turns into some tight, thin-lipped kiss that just screams frigid. And that’s as far as it goes. Every. Single. Time. They back up, give me the same wow, that was so not worth the dinner I paid for look and never call me again.”
Turning away, she swiped at a tear, not wanting Chase to see it.
He remained silent a few moments, then went into the kitchen. He returned with the chardonnay and poured her another glass. He refreshed his and put the bottle back in the fridge.
“Whatever, right?” She said, embarrassed by her confession. She took a sip of wine before returning the glass to an end table. “Just thought you should know all this effort you expend isn’t worth it.”
“Again,” he said in a low, intimate tone as he stood behind her. “I get to be the judge of that.”
“Chase,” she murmured with a hint of exasperation.
He stepped around her, so they faced each other. “Two seconds. I don’t even need the full ten.”
She stared up at him, confused. “What?”
“Two seconds. That’s all it’ll take.”
“For what?”
His beautiful blue eyes glowed in the firelight. “For me to know if I’ve wasted my time or not.”
Without another word, his head dipped and his lips skimmed over hers.
Cassidy felt the spark. Against her lips. Low in her belly. Deep in her pussy.
She jumped back.
He grinned.
“Oh.” She lost her breath.
Triumph flickered in his eyes.
Several moments passed, with a nearly palpable energy arcing between them.
She stared up at him again.
He smirked. A cocky one.
“Yeah,” he said. “That’s what I thought.”
Chapter Three
Excitement jolted Chase. He’d known all along that it’d be hot between them. And just the lightest touch of the lips confirmed he’d been right.
Absolutely electric!
For several extended seconds, he watched as Cassidy’s enticing chest rose and fell. He gave her a little time to process the fact that she might not have sparked with those other men she’d mentioned, but she sure as hell sparked with him.
Then he said, “Don’t you dare deny there’s serious chemistry here. Even when we’re just flirting, the sexual tension is off the charts. You’ve just been ignoring or fighting it all this time.”
Heat lit her amber eyes.
He leaned close to her and whispered, “Busted.”
She opened her mouth to say something, then snapped it closed.
Chase took the opportunity presented and brushed his lips over hers once more. A small gasp from her made him move in closer. He cupped the side of her face with one hand and rested the other at the dip of her waist.
As much as he wanted to haul her up against him, he knew better. Cassidy required a bit of coaxing. And he was more than willing to change up his aggressive tactics and seduce her slowly.
His lips glided over hers and then he nibbled at the corner of her mouth. She sighed. Her body gravitated to his, her breasts pressing below his pecs. Chase bit back a groan.
“How about we try a full-on kiss?” he suggested.
She swallowed hard. “Maybe we should leave this as is. That way, we have a good memory, without me fucking it up.”
He frowned. “You’re doing it again.”
Gazing up at him, she asked, “Doing what?”
“Putting too much pressure on yourself.” His thumb stroked her cheek as he said, “I understand how driven you are and how perfect you want to be. But here’s a newsflash, Cass. Nobody’s perfect.”
Her laugh was a hollow one. “My mother was perfect. And…you’re sort of perfect.”
He grinned. “Hell of a compliment, coming from you. I’m flattered.”
“Don’t make me regret saying it.”
Without doubt, his look was a devilish one. “No promises there.”
This time, her soft laugh held amusement. “Your arrogance knows no bounds.”
“Actually, it does. Otherwise, I would have tried to kiss you two years ago. No, I’m not perfect. Not by any stretch of the imagination. And it’s taken me all this time to work up to kissing you, because I don’t want to mess anything up when it comes to this.”
Her head tilted and she studied him carefully. “You’re not screwing arou
nd here, are you?”
“No.” He knew his expression conveyed his seriousness. And it was earnest. His head dipped and his lips tangled with hers.
Against them, she said, “I sort of thought that. It kind of freaks me out.”
“Don’t freak out.” He stared into her eyes. “Cass, it’s not like I don’t know how much you’ve wanted to avoid this. Hell, consider how long I’ve let you skirt this attraction. I’ve pushed sometimes. But in the end, I’ve been cool with your reluctance to travel this path.”
“I know,” she was quick to say. “And I have always appreciated that, Chase.”
“Okay, so all I’m asking,” he told her as everything inside him tightened again, “is that you take a small leap of faith with me. I’ve wanted you for so long, it’s not something that will simply go away. Not even if you finally gave in to me. What you said at the country club was way off-base, babe. I could have you a million times over and still come back for more.”
She sucked in a breath. Then she splayed a palm over his chest and gently pushed him away. But his hand covered hers to keep it in place, maintaining the physical contact.
His jaw clenched briefly, before he said, “Stop repressing. Do a little accepting for once, Cass.”
He closed the gap between them and kissed her. He was a bit surprised when her mouth opened, allowing his tongue to sweep over hers. He was also relieved. He delved deep as he wrapped an arm around her waist. The other hand skimmed over the satin covering her ass and he kneaded a cheek as their kiss intensified.
She ignited his passion so easily, so quickly. His cock twitched and he tightened his grip on her.
Cassidy didn’t break their kiss. She responded to him with equaled fervor, the fingers of one hand twisting in his hair while the other hand curled around his upper arm.
Fire roared through his body. He’d wanted her for two years, yes, but this was much more powerful than merely lusting after her. This was real and explosive.
His hand at the small of her back shifted and his fingers skated up the long line of her exposed spine. She trembled and the blaze grew brighter within him. He caressed the nape of her neck as he deepened their kiss. She shuddered again and it drove him wild.
